I don't think these people seem as though they'd change because of Sarah Palin... although I do think this video is very much designed to appeal to women... or somebody's idea of what women are like... which is not like Sarah Palin.

My heart goes out to families who have loved ones in Iraq. I understand why they're voting for Obama. War, death, is it worth it? Same reason the draft drove the anti-war election years ago.

IMO Obama tho is not going to "bring them home" any quicker than a Republican. I believe it's a cynical ploy to get votes. And people will die. They may save an American life, yes, by working for Obama but thousands of Iraqis will die in civil war. It's a moral quandary, I agree, but I agree with Powell: you break it, you fix it.

I'd like to see some voter registration cards on these "Republicans." Especially on the black guy, since blacks vote Democrat in the 90 percentile range

I frankly don't see that as productive. Don't get me wrong, I'm mocking this little vignette myself, but not because I don't believe there are people who have genuinely called themselves Republicans, and even voted such, in the past who are planning to vote for Obama. I'm mocking it because, well, it happens all the time, and is far less "telling" than the Obama campaign wants it to be.

I wonder how effective this ad will be. It's an argument from authority - these folks are Republicans like you and they like Obama, so maybe you should. What about Obama's meager record and known political views would appeal to a Republican? I mean other than Jim Leach?

Yes, yes, a thousand times YES! Every time some self important yob starts nattering about "children" in Iraq, my blood pressure heightens another notch. The first part of respecting the military is recognizing that they are grown men and women who have made an adult choice to sacrifice their time, their blood, and sometimes their lives. To call them children is indecent.

I completely agree. A while back the San Francisco Chronicle had a front page story on women who claimed to be lifelong Republicans but were leaving the Party because McCain was too conservative. I wrote the reporter an email telling her the story said more about her views than it did about Republicans.

Nothing makes me laugh more than hearing someone call a talk show or write a comment that starts with, "I am a Conservative Republican but..." and everything that follows is a laundry list of liberal talking points.

That cracks me up. I've seen similar on the message board for a moms' group I'm a member of. Several of the moms have said they'd like to move to Canada if McCain is elected. McCain! If you didn't leave the country while Bush was around, what is it about McCain that suddenly pushes you over the edge?

This will crack you up. Back when I was a young California radical, I registered Republican so I could vote against Reagan when he was running for Governor. I also said I would leave California if he got elected, which of course, I never did!

McCain and Obama will both bring the troops home. McCain in victory and Obama in defeat. The dead unfortunately will still be dead but at least under McCain their sacrifice would have been for something good as opposed to Obama they would have been sacrificed for nothing.

No republican would switch to a half out of the closet communist. A conservative democrat, yes, but a far lefty, I call bullshit on this.

It's astounding that Ann Althouse would fall for someone claiming to be republican, yet saying they will vote Obama. If you ever hear anyone pull this stunt, ask him why he voted republican, and how exactly Obama would be better. None of these jokers can answer that. I mean, I thought everybody knew this years ago.

I have a "Republicans for Obama" sticker for one of my five (like a good R; one for each day of the work week) cars.

The Palin speech (and the other issueless vitriol peddlers) didn't do it for me. Of course I am "in the tank."

So, the question should be; how did I go from a solid Ronald fan to a certifiable Clinton-hater (and vitriol peddler) in the nineties to an Obamican who can't stand the GOP this year?

Of course, many of y'all will recite the obvious (as you see it) explanation for my support of BHO; Koolaid. That is, there's something wrong, irrational, unthinking, demented, etc about me. That name calling stuff is insightful, though not in the way you think.

"So, the question should be; how did I go from a solid Ronald fan to a certifiable Clinton-hater (and vitriol peddler) in the nineties to an Obamican who can't stand the GOP this year?

Of course, many of y'all will recite the obvious (as you see it) explanation for my support of BHO; Koolaid. That is, there's something wrong, irrational, unthinking, demented, etc about me. That name calling stuff is insightful, though not in the way you think."

"I am a mouse. And I am voting for the cat. Because I can trust the cat. Because the cat is looking out for ME!"

Hmmm.

And you know, as a US Soldier about to deploy, if I *EVER* see any of my loved ones on TV talking about how they don't want me to do the job I volunteered for and am excited and pleased to do, I'll stop talking to them permanently.

Of course by broadcasting weakness, Obama puts our troops on the ground in greater danger. McCain and Palin have enlisted sons who serve on the ground over there. And this woman actually believes that Obama cares more about the safety of our troops than McCain and Palin?

UWS, you are correct that I am not a Republican, but you are wrong about Simon, who is a Republican. I bet he has sent money to the Republican party just because he strikes me as a standup kinda guy who would put his money where his mouth is.

Some of the people here are completely identified with a party and deserve that D or R. I hope they wear it proudly. As soon as I find the Conservative party, I will send them some money and earn my C.

Although all you conservatives are still running off, agog over Sarah Palin, this video should be your wake up call alerting you to the magnitude of the mass defections of LIFELONG REPUBLICANS. Forget about Zachary's uncle (we always had doubts about him). Think about all those New Hampshire lifelong republican women NPR found by just waving their mike outside the church steps. And today, this from excitable Andy:

A reader writes:

Every now and then, my lifelong Republican evangelical Christian calls me with his take on politics. He usually fancies himself an independent, but obviously is not, until tonight. His words to me, verbatim: "I'm sick. I'm done with em [the Republicans]. They can't think we're that stupid."

There will be more of these, a trickle on the evening news now, a flood of lifelong republicans by electiontime. It's over, I tell you.

Recent polls show McCain has the support of 85 percent of Republicans, I guess she is among the other 15 percent.

On the other hand, George W. Bush carried 93% of Republicans four years ago. So even if Obama is only getting 15%, he's doing twice as well among Republicans as Kerry did, which is already a significant improvement.

His willingness to continue Bush's faith based outreach may also have something to do with that.

Ex-Republicans for Obama. To declare yourself for that man is to estrange yourself permanently from every principle and auxiliary tenet of the Republican party.

It's sad that you think that way. I'm a partisan Democrat but even I am willing to consider voting for Republicans (though the last one I remember voting for was Arizona Governor Jane Hull in 1998, a vote which I soon came to regret.)

Believe it or not, in 2000 I even seriously considered voting for Bush (I actually bought into that 'uniter not a divider' line) and didn't make up my mind to vote for Gore until about two weeks before the election that year. Of course by mid 2001 I was already sure I wouldn't vote for him in 2004.

A republican (at least someone who thinks they are)can vote for Obama. A conservative never could. There is just about nothing, and nada which he believes that I do. Since I am older, I have more belief experience! He has the socialist vision of a different America, and I don't want to live there

On the other hand, George W. Bush carried 93% of Republicans four years ago. So even if Obama is only getting 15%, he's doing twice as well among Republicans as Kerry did, which is already a significant improvement.

As of two weeks ago, McCain was supported by 87% of Republicans, while Obama was supported by only 77% of Democrats. Kerry got 89% of the Democratic vote in 2004.

It's sad that you think that way. I'm a partisan Democrat but even I am willing to consider voting for Republicans

You've conflating willingness to vote for Barack Obama with willingness to vote for Democrats.

I'm entirely willing to vote for Democrats, provided they agree with some of my values or are at least willing to compromise; I voted for Clinton in '92, for example. Since Obama's positions are entirely left-wing and his track record gives no reason to suspect he's willing to meet his opponents halfway, though, I'd have to be crazy to want to vote for him.

Were this true, I would expect to know some of them, as I do know a lot of Republicans. But I don't. Of course, the Republicans I know I generally conservatives or libertarians. I guess you could have some crossovers from the Rockefeller types.